“Bulls Were Living a Good Life”: SA Cracks Jokes as Woolies Charges R1,053 per KG for Biltong

• Woolworths charges R157.99 for a small bag of chilli beef biltong snapsticks, working out to R1,053 per kilogram
• The steep price was flagged by media personality and former restaurant owner Ciro De Siena, and South Africans reacted with mixed opinions
• A Newsday comparison found Makro and Woolworths sit close in price, while Checkers remains the cheapest retailer for biltong

Woolworths is charging R157.99 for a 150-gram bag of chilli beef biltong snapsticks. That price works out to R1,053 per kilogram, and it left South African shoppers annoyed.

Media personality and former restaurant owner Ciro De Siena first flagged the steep price. His comment triggered a wave of reactions from South Africans who shared their own biltong prices.

Newsday, a South African news publication, compared biltong prices at major retailers on 15 July 2026. The report only looked at pre-packaged biltong, dry wors and snapsticks. Most packets on shelves weigh between 100 and 200 grams.

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Checkers had the cheapest packaged biltong, priced between R50 and R70 for 100 grams. Makro and Woolworths turned out to be the priciest retailers checked. Beef snapsticks at both stores came close to R1,000 per kilogram.

Woolworths sells free-range beef, which usually carries a higher price. The report found Woolworths was not far out of line with rival retailers.

Cheaper ways to buy biltong

Buying biltong from a butchery counter works out far cheaper than packaged options. Pick n Pay’s counter biltong costs R355.99 per kilogram, almost half the packaged price. Bigger packs also save shoppers money at the till.

A one-kilogram bag of dry wors from Fleischerei costs R379.99, roughly half the price per kilogram of smaller bags.

South Africans on X had strong reactions to the comparison. Some said convenience always comes at a cost, and buyers can simply walk away. Others joked they already avoid Woolworths because of high prices.

A few pointed out that the meat is free-range, meaning better conditions for the animals. Some asked whether people still shop at Woolworths at all. One person said the biltong never grows mould, comparing it to American beef jerky.

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Source: Briefly News